ERONGO09-13
Aquamarine With Schorl
Erongo Mountain, Usakos District, Erongo Region, Namibia
Large Cabinet, 16.7 x 16.5 x 8.8 cm
SOLD
This is the largest really fine specimen in what was said to be about 90% of the pocket contents, which came to Denver show of 2009. This pocket will be remembered for the robust, intense blue color, quite unlike anything from Pakistan or Brazil; and a combination with schorl matrix. These crystals are stunning in their richness and abundance on this well-trimmedpiece of matrix. The largest doubly-terminated crystal is 9 x 2.7 x 2 cm in size, with several smaller ones present as well. All major crystals are terminated and pristine, save only a few nicks here or there of no consequence. The two peripheral aquamarines to left and right, smaller, have a little more edge wear on their terminations but you have to go looking to see it. The overall look of this piece just screams COLOR; and it also has a 3-dimensional jackstraw look to it, in person, that is hard to convey in photos. Overall, this has some of the most robust, deep blue color I have seen before in an Erongo specimen, with a translucent and deeply colored body and a gemmy termination atop. The intense color, and large size, combined with luster and a contrasting schorl association, all conspire to make this a special pocket considered by those who saw them recently at the Denver show to be among the best aqua finds here in about a decade of quite sporadic aquamarine mining. This particular specimen is big, about the size of half a volleyball, and dominates a display case.